Ironbottom Sound


"Ironbottom Sound" is the name given by Allied sailors to the stretch of water at the southern end of The Slot between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Nggela Islands of the Solomon Islands, because of the many ships and planes that sank there during the naval actions comprising the Battle of Guadalcanal during 1942–1943. Before the war, it was called Savo Sound. Every year on the battle's anniversary, a US ship cruises into the waters and drops a wreath to commemorate the men who lost their lives.

Naval actions comprising the Battle of Guadalcanal

Over 50 vessels were sunk in Ironbottom Sound during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Some of the more notable wrecks are listed below.

Japanese

Cape Esperance, 11–12 October 1942

  • –
  • – heavy cruiser; wreck located northwest of Savo Island

    First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942

  • –
  • –
  • –

    Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 15 November 1942

  • – Kongō-class battlecruiser
  • – Fubuki-class destroyer
  • – troop transport beached and then attacked by US bombers. These attacks set the transports afire and destroyed most equipment not unloaded before dawn. In September and October 1944, the wreck was used as a target for tests of the TDR-1 Drone by STAG-1 based at North Field on Banika, Russell Islands as part of the top secret project testing of America's first guided missile.
  • – troop transport beached in Doma Cove
  • – military transport; grounded and lost to air attack
  • – military transport; grounded and lost to air attack

    Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942

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    Other surface battles and aerial actions, 1942–1943

  • – ; lost to U.S. Navy air attack 4 May 1942
  • – minesweeper; lost to U.S. Navy aerial torpedo attack 4 May 1942
  • – military transport; ran aground and lost to air attack 15 October 1942
  • – Type J1 submarine; torpedoed by USN PT Boat 9 December 1942
  • – ; torpedoed by USN PT Boat 12 December 1942
  • – Type J1 submarine; rammed by RNZN ASW Corvettes, ran aground 29 January 1943
  • – Yūgumo-class destroyer; hit Mine while under attack by PT Boat 1 February 1943
  • – military transport; attacked by the “Cactus Air Force” from Henderson Field 14 October 1942
  • – military transport; attacked by the “Cactus Air Force” from Henderson Field 14 October 1942. Beached and becomes a total loss. She is also known as the Sasago Maru.

    Allied

Savo Island, 9 August 1942

  • – US heavy cruiser
  • – US New Orleans-class heavy cruiser
  • – US New Orleans-class heavy cruiser
  • – Australian heavy cruiser

    Cape Esperance, 12 October 1942

  • – US

    First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942

  • – US light cruiser/anti-aircraft cruiser
  • – US
  • – US
  • – US Benson-class destroyer
  • – US Gleaves-class destroyer
  • - US light cruiser

    Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 15 November 1942

  • – US Mahan-class destroyer
  • – US
  • – US

    Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942

  • – US heavy cruiser

    Operation I-Go (Air Raid on Tulagi), 7 April 1943

  • – US
  • – US Gleaves-class destroyer
  • – New Zealand corvette

    Other surface battles and aerial actions, 1942–1945

  • – US ; lost to air attack 8 August 1942
  • – US ; sunk in aerial torpedo attack 9 August 1942
  • – US Bagley-class destroyer; torpedoed by IJN destroyer 22 August 1942
  • – US ; sunk in dive-bombing attack 30 August 1942
  • – US Wickes-class destroyer; lost with Little in surface combat vs. IJN destroyers 5 September 1942
  • – US Wickes-class destroyer; lost with Gregory in unnamed action vs. IJN destroyers 5 September 1942
  • – US oceangoing tug; lost with YP-284 to gunfire of IJN destroyers 25 October 1942
  • YP-284 – US Yard Patrol craft; lost with Seminole to gunfire of IJN destroyers 25 October 1942
  • PT-44 – US PT boat; lost in unnamed surface action vs. IJN destroyers 12 December 1942
  • PT-112 – US PT boat; lost in surface combat vs. IJN destroyers 11 January 1943
  • – US ; lost to dive-bombing attack 1 February 1943
  • PT-37 – US PT boat; sunk with PT-111 by IJN destroyer 1 February 1943
  • PT-111 – US PT boat; sunk with PT-37 by IJN destroyer 1 February 1943
  • PT-123 – US PT boat; lost to air attack 1 February 1943
  • – US attack transport; torpedoed in air attack 13 August 1943
  • – United States Coast Guard–manned Liberty ship; exploded while loading depth charges 29 January 1945